Get It Right
by beautyintheagron
Summary: 'you can't hate me for helping to send you on your way' Q/R


Title: Get it Right

Author: BeautyIntheAgron

Pairing: Quinn/Rachel

Summary: 'you can't hate me, for helping to send you on your way'

She saw Quinn and Finn together, she saw the casual brush of arms, and Quinn's winning smile. She knows what it all means. Rachel Berry is anything but stupid. Her GPA has never been lower than a 4.0 despite plenty of distractions such as dance competitions, and vocal awards. Besides all that, she knows Quinn, almost better than she knows herself.

She knows that Quinn loves to have her hair touched while she's falling asleep. Having someone running fingers through her perfect blonde locks has her asleep in minutes.

She knows that Quinn's favorite band is Radiohead despite how adamant she is that she's all about some random top 40's band so she can keep up appearances.

She knows that Quinn's urgent need to win prom queen is just so that her mother will have something to be proud of her about.

She knows that Quinn will never go public with their relationship, and yet the sight of Quinn with Finn makes her stomach roll, and bile rise in her throat.

It takes her a good amount of time to work up the nerve to head to the auditorium. She refuses to let Quinn brush her off this time. She refuses to let Quinn belittle what they are, that they are just experimenting, that the only reason Quinn keeps her around is that Rachel's mouth is talented in other things besides singing. She feels the tears forming as she sees Quinn behind the piano, hitting random notes softly.

Rachel wants nothing more than to sit by her and write their song, to pretend that nothing is wrong, and that everything will be alright in the end. But she can't do that anymore, she's at the end of her rope. Either they are together, or this thing they have is over. And Rachel's already sure which way Quinn will go, but she knows nothing of Rachel if she thinks she's going down without a fight.

Quinn looks up at the sound of her footsteps, and raises a perfectly manicured eyebrow, "You're late."

Rachel rambles, because she honestly has no idea how to ask what she's going to ask. Quinn's never let her be this way with her. Anytime Rachel wanted to talk about feelings Quinn would plant her lips over hers and make her forget about anything but the taste of bacon, and the smell of Quinn's perfume, an odd floral scent that she would never forget.

Quinn knows her though, and stops her with a look, "Just ask me, Rachel."

"Are you and Finn together?" It's out of her mouth before she can censor herself, and she almost wishes she could take it back. Because Quinn has always been the type to bend the truth, or just say it wasn't any of Rachel's business.

"Yes, it's been a couple of weeks." Quinn replies, her eyes cold and unfeeling.

A couple of weeks? Rachel's eyes widen and she remembers all the times that Quinn had left her hanging when they were supposed to meet up, the hickey from last week, that Quinn had swore was Rachel's doing. Rachel's heart breaks a little more at the many lies Quinn has been feeding her.

"It's like groundhogs day with you Rachel, how many times do you have to make the same mistake before you realize it's not going to work out?" Quinn's anger is rising, and Rachel can see that she's trying to make this about Finn, instead of about them. It's easier for her that way. To think that Rachel's upset about losing Finn, because if it's not then it's about her and she has no idea how to deal with that.

Rachel won't let her though, she refuses to let her make this about Finn, when she knows how much it's not about him, "I appreciate you being honest with me Quinn, and I'm happy for you and Finn, but don't rewrite history here, what we have is real, you choose me."

Quinn's eyes flash angrily, and Rachel prepares herself for the lashing out she's come to expect from a cornered Quinn, "And how long did you think that was going to last Rachel? How long did you think you could keep me entertained before I went back to what's normal, to what's RIGHT?"

Rachel feels the tears pooling in her eyes, because she can't believe that Quinn thinks they are wrong, when Rachel's never felt more right then when she's lying in her embrace. That she's never felt more in love then when Quinn smiles at her, all perfect white teeth and sparking hazel eyes.

"Why are you being so mean?" her voice cracks but she can't help it, her heart is breaking and she doesn't seem to have it in her to fight it.

Quinn's eyes soften slightly and she stands, moving towards her with slow steps as though being too close would be hazardous for her health. Then she surprises them both when she places her hand over Rachel's, running her thumb soothingly over the tan skin. Rachel watches it fascinated, because even through the pain in her soul she can still feel the spark whenever Quinn touches her.

"Do you want to know how this story plays out? I end up with Finn, and you get heartbroken." Quinn's voice is soft, no menace or anger just softly stating facts but she might as well scream it for all the good it does when Rachel hears how their story will end.

But Quinn has more and Rachel lowers her eyes because she can't face her when she's destroying everything they are to each other.

"And then Finn and I stay here, and start a family. I will become a successful real estate agent and Finn will take over Kurt's dad's tire shop."

Rachel looks up at that because Quinn has always talked about getting out of Lima, of making a name for herself in a town that matters. In a place where she can be everything she wants and more. She's selling herself short, and resigned herself to this life, and it's the last thing Rachel expected from her.

Quinn's eyes are watery now, and she's gripping Rachel's hand tightly, as though it will make Rachel understand, "You don't belong here Rachel, and you can't hate me for helping to send you on your way."

Rachel's eyes water and she turns her hand, gripping Quinn back fiercely and bringing her closer to her, so that she can cup her face and press her forehead to Quinn's. Their breathing is shallow and broken with hitching breaths, and repressed tears. Rachel could stay here forever, surrounded by blonde hair that smells of flowers. More than that, she wants to stay here forever.

"Quinn, you can't make decisions for me. We can both leave Lima, together. We can move to New York, and you can enroll in NYU and go to nursing school, just like you've always wanted. We can succeed together; it's not over between-"

And just like that Quinn is yanking herself out of Rachel's grasp, tears sliding down her flushed cheeks, and her hands shaking with repressed emotion. "YES IT IS! You're so frustrating, and that is why you can't write a good song, because you live in this little school girl fantasy of life, Rachel, if you keep looking for that happy ending then you are never gonna get it right!"

And just like that, Quinn's guard is up, and Rachel knows that this time, come hell and high water, there's no way she's going to be able to knock her walls down. Quinn wipes the tears from her eyes and steers them back towards the songwriting, but Rachel can't stand to be near her right now, she needs to be alone. Finn said that songs came from a place of pain, well she had a whole ocean of pain to choose from now. So just like that, she turns her back on Quinn, and runs from the auditorium, tears streaming down her face.

_**Five Years Later**_

"Welcome back everybody, and boy do we have a treat for you tonight. Six time Grammy award winner, seven time Tony award winner, the ever gorgeous Rachel Berry is here with us, and she's going to be talking about her love life, and how she was a nobody back in her high school days. So Rachel, is it true that you were considered a loser back in high school?"

Rachel crosses her legs in the large leather chair, and smiles at the interviewer, perfecting her best sheepish look, "Let's just say that slushies still scare me, the other day my assistant was sipping on one, and I covered my face on instinct. I think she's weary of drinking those around me now."

The interviewer laughs, and shakes his head, "Slushies huh? That's one I've never heard before. But there were good parts about high school right? Not all slushies and name calling?"

Rachel thinks back on McKinley and remembers all the happy times, with Glee club, and , and the people she was privileged enough to call friends. "There were definitely good times, I always wanted to be a part of something special, and thanks to a gutsy Spanish teacher named Will Schuester, I was given that opportunity. Glee club was probably the single best thing to happen in my life, it truly made me who I am today, and I am so grateful to all the amazing men and women that made the taunting and ridicule worth it in the end."

"You wrote your first single, while in high school correct?"

Rachel starts to tense because she knows where the questions are going but she keeps the smile on her face, and answers truthfully, "Yes, 'Get It Right', was written in my bedroom, junior year. I still have the notebook I wrote it on. It was written for regional's that year, and helped win us first place."

"Did someone specific inspire you to write that song? I mean listening to it, you hear the pain and intensity, so was there someone that gave you that creative push?"

She knew it was coming, and she couldn't even fault the interviewer because she had agreed pre-interview that she would talk about it. She owed it to her fans, to the world, and to a woman she'd left behind to speak the truth.

"Um, actually yes. My first love inspired that song, I believe she told me that if I kept believing in fairy tales, that I would never get it right. Broke my heart at the time, but it made me connect with that inner pain, and lead me to write the song that later made my career."

The interviewer's face looks shocked, but he quickly composes himself and asks what everyone in the world is probably thinking, "She?"

Rachel looks down at her perfectly manicured hands and clears her throat, "Yes, she. My first love was actually a woman, a beautiful woman. She's inspired me to be everything I am today, and she's the driving force behind all my music and my creative decisions. I felt I owed it to my fans to be honest with them about who I am, and to tell them that no matter race, gender, or religious background, love is never wrong. If you are in love with someone, never hide it because of what others might think, express it, rejoice in it, because in the end you might just, finally, get it right."

.

.

.

.

.

And in a small town called Lima, Ohio, far from the glitz and glamour of New York City, Quinn Fabray is smiling.


End file.
